Needle resetting devices for zigzag sewing machines



Sept. 9, 1969 J. E. VAN HART, JR.. ETAI- 3,465,699`

NEEDLE RESETTING DEVICES FOR ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINES Filed April 19, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'ig.|.

INVENTORS and Kenneth R. Rea

l BY

I{wm/[Ml 72.4( l ATTORNEY James -E. Van Hart, Jr.,

Sept. 9, 1969 J, E, VAN HART; 1R` ETAL 3,465,699

R ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINES NEEDLE RESETTING DEVICES FO 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1967 Figi.

I NVEN'TORS James. 4E. Van H arr, Jr.. ond Kenneth R. Rea

BY WJ? m/ AT TORNE Y Witness Sept 9, 1969 .1. E. VAN HART, JR., ETAI- 3,465,699

NEEDLE RESETTING DEVICES FOR ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINES Filed April 19, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fag.5. .v l

' INVENTORS James E. Van Hart, Jr. and Kenneth R. Rec

Witness 47m l 'wl TW; 1 TTORNEY Sept. 9, 1969 J, E, VAN HART, JR., ETAL 3,465,699

NEEDLE RESETTING DEVICES FOR ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINES Filed April 19, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS James E. Van Hart, Jr.

' and Kenneth R. Rea Witness 60 BY '14:25u [(nof Tau' l WA TORNEY United States Patent O 3,465,699 NEEDLE RESETTING DEVICES FOR ZIGZAG SEWING MACHINES James E. Van Hart, Jr., Morristown, and Kenneth R. Rea,

Rockaway, NJ., assignors to The Singer Company, New

York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 19, 1967, Ser. No. 631,939 Int. Cl. Db 3/02 U.S. Cl. 112-158 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a needle resetting device for a zigzag sewing machine. More particularly the disclosure relates to a device the operation of which will cause release of the cam followers from their selectively adjusted positions simultaneous to the centering of the bight or lateral vibratory amplitude selector whereby the needle will be reset to the centered straight stitch position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The throat plate of a sewing machine used for zigzag sewing is provided with a lateral elongated needle aperture. However, for highest quality straight stitching this throat plate is replaced with one having a round needle aperture. For straight stitching the operator would reset or clear each of the various selectors individually, or by a unidirectional device shift the cam followers to a cleared position. Another operation was always required to center the bight amplitude selector. This made resetting the needle to a centered straight stitch position a two or three step operation.

Failure to make any of the resettings would result in the needle not being in the centered straight stitch position. If the straight stitch throat plate had been inserted on operation of the machine the needle would be broken. Even if the zigzag throat plate were being used the result would be the wrong type of stitch.

SUMMARY OF THE INITIAL INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a zigzag sewing machine is provided with a novel needle resetting device that includes a pair of members interconnected to each other and to the frame. Each member has a free end disposed in spaced relation on opposite sides of at least one shiftably adjusted means. Operator induenced means is connected to the members for shifting the free ends of the members towards each other to urge said selector means to be shiftably adjusted to a predetermined position therebetween.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved needle setting device which overcomes the prior art disadvantages; which is relatively simple, economical and reliable; which by a single operation repositions a plurality of selectors for the stitch forming instrumentalities; which is used to prevent accidental needle breakage; which is operated to reset the needle to centered stitch position; which is adapted to change the setting of the selectors for use with a throat plate having a single centered hole; which includes shiftable interconnected members capable of centering a shiftably adjusted selector from position left or right of center; which includes shiftable interconnected members that simultaneously release and reset a plurality of selectors.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in the claims.

Patented Sept. 9, 1969 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a sewing machine embodying the present invention, the top cover plate of the machine being removed and parts in section or broken away to illustrate the mechanism.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the machine illustrating the front panel with the various selectors for the stitch forming instrumentalities, and the actuating knob of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3 3 of FIGURE 1.

.FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial view of FIGURE 1 depicting the novel resetting mechanism in operation.

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the novel resetting mechanism in the fully operated position, with the dotted lines indicating the normally inoperative position.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View of the novel resetting mechanism in the inoperative position.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a novel resetting mechanism in the fully operative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION lA conventional zigzag sewing machine is shown in the drawings embodying the present invention. The stitch forming instrumentalities and associated actuating mechanisms are herein illustrated and described only insofar as it is believed to be necessary for an understanding of this invention. For a more detailed explanation reference may be made to U.S. Patent No. 2,862,468, Dec. 2, 1958, of R. E. Johnson for Ornamental Stitch Sewing Machines. The zigzag sewing machine illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 has a frame 10 that includes a bracket arm 12 having a head 14, and a panel 16 in the front face thereof, which may be the type disclosed and claimed in U.S. Patent No. 3,150,623, Sept. 29, 1964, of H. Dreyfuss, for A Sewing Machine With a Changeable Color Scheme.

The stitch forming instrumentalities, only a part of which is shown, includes a needle bar 18 mounted in head 14 for endwise reciprocation and lateral vibration from a centered straight stitch position responsive to the transmitted motion of the actuating mechanism that may be conveniently divided into a bight amplitude mechanism designated generally as 20, and a cam actuating mechanism designated generally as 22. Though the actuating mechanism may include any of the other mechanisms associated with the stitch forming instrumentalities, such as the feed mechanism, the present mechanisms will serve to clearly illustrate the present invention.

Lateral vibration is transmitted from the actuating mechanism illustrated in FIGURE l to the needle bar 18 of the stitch forming instrumentalities by a bracket 24 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a presser bar bushing 26, the opposite armsof bracket 24 being connected to the needle bar 18 and to one end of an endwise movable pitman 28 the actuation of which imparts the lateral lvibration to the needle bar. The opposite end of pitman 28 carries a plate 30 pivotally mounted thereon by pivot pin 32.

A bias means or spring 34 is anchored at one end to a detachably latched lever 36 and at the other end is connected adjacent to the connection of the bracket 24 and pitman 28 so as to urge the bracket 24 to rotate clockwise and bias the pitman 28 and plate 30 toward the right. To resist overthrow of plate 30 an arm 38 is pivotally mounted in the frame on the post 40 with a spring 42 connected to one end of arm 38 to bias a free end thereof in followers 44 and 46 which are in turn biased into tracking engagement with any combination of cams of cam stack 48. The cam stack 48 is mounted for rotation on a vertical post 50 and rotation is imparted thereto by a worm wheel 52 associated with the stack that cooperates with a Worm 54 on the arm shaft 56 journaled longitudinally of the bracket arm 12.

The pitman 28 is adapted to be shifted to place the pivot pin 32 alternatively substantially over the points of ycontact between the plate 30 and the followers 44 and 46 or at any point therebetween thereby varia'bly adjusting the amount of cam induced motion of the respective followers 44 and 46 that is transmitted to plate 30 and thus to the pitman 28 and the actuating mechanism for the stitch forming instrumentalities. This shifting of pitman 28 is accomplished by the bight or lateral vibratory amplitude mechanism 20 that includes lever 58 having an handle portion 60 extending through a slot 62 in the panel 16. The lever 58 is pivotally adjustable about the post 50 and is connected to the end of pitman 28 by a connection including a ball 64 and a socket 66. Lever 58 is lightly biased against the upper side of slot 62 and may be set in accordance with the indicia that is marked above the slot. The extreme left setting corresponding to number 1 would position pivot pin 32 directly opposite cam follower 44; the extreme right position corresponding to number would position pivot pin 32 directly opposite cam follower 46; and setting lever 58 in the notch 68 formed at the mid setting corresponding to number 3 would lock the adjustment of the pitman and pivot pin 32 in a center position midway between cam followers 44 and 46. In addition to regulating the degree of inlluence of the cam followers the bight amplitude mechanism 20 determines the centered needle position in setting number 3 or the extent of lateral Vibration to the right or the left of center, which incidentally corresponds to the degree of influence of the respective calm followers 44 and 46. Socket 66 is formed at one end of a downwardly extending longitudinal boss 70 that serves to limit the shifting of lever 58 by coming into engagement with one of a pair of spaced stop arms 72 secured to the bracket arm by means of a screw 74.

To provide for placing the cam followers 44 and 46 in tracking engagement with a selected combination of cams in the Icam stack 48 each of the followers as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 are pivotally mounted and are slideable endwise on post 76 and 78, respectively, which are parallel to the axis of the cam stack 48. The post 76 is provided with a plurality of notches 80, each corresponding to one of the individual cams in the cam stack 48, which notches are adapted to be entered selectively by a knife-like element 82 that extends through a slot in the hub 84 of cam follower 44 and into the notch, thus positioning the Icam follower 44 and locking the same endwise of the post 76 with respect to the selective one of the cams. A spring 86 is anchored by screw 74 and connected to a free end of knife-like element 82 to urge the element downwardly so that on its removal from the notches it will urge hub 84 to slide downwardly of post 76 to a position out of engagement with the cams. Similarly, post 78 has a plurality of notches 88 adapted to be entered by a knife-like element 90 extending through a slot in the hub 92 of the follower 46. Knife-like element 90 is aflixed to crank arm 94 which has a spring 96 connected between the free end of crank arm 94 and a screw post 98 to bias the associated components in a manner similar to that of spring 86 whereby on removal of knife-like element 90 from the notch, hub 92 will be urged downwardly along post 78 to urge the removal of cam follower 46 from re-engagement with the calms.

In the normal manner, to effect cam selection with either of the cam followers 44 and 46, the respective knife-like element 82 or 90 is retracted from the notches in the post to free the follower for endwise movement,

but without retracting the same from the hub of the follower. Thus, as the element 82 or 90 is moved the respective follower will be moved with it. At the same time, the cam engaging portion of the follower is lifted clear of the cams so that it may be moved freely along the cam stack.

With respect to the cam follower 44, the cam selector 'mechanism illustrated in FIGURES l and 4 includes a shaft 100 laterally shiftable and pivotally mounted in the frame by means of a lug 102 and bushing 104 in the rear wall that receives a reduced end 106 of the shaft. Secured to the shaft 100 is a crank arm 108 to which is connected the knife-like element 82 and which is adapted to abut against an arm 110 formed integral with the cam follower 44. Thus, as the shaft 100 is shifted laterally, element 82 will be moved out of the notches and cam follower 44 pivoted to be clear of the engagement with any of the cams.

The shaft 100 can then be turned to move the cam follower 44 along the stack to a position opposite any selected cam. The means for shifting and for turning the shaft 100 includes an actuating arm 111 secured to the shaft 100 and having a handle portion 112 extending through the panel 16 to the exterior of the 'mechanism to define an operator influenced selector. On panel 16 as shown in FIGURE 2 there is provided indicia 113 corresponding to the cams and thus indicates the selected cam. A shoulder 114 limits the laterally inward movement of shaft 100, and a spring 116 is disposed to bias shaft 100 laterally outwardly.

With respect to cam follower 46, the cam selector mechanism includes a bracket 118 laterally shiftable and rotatably mounted on shaft 100 and having an actuating arm 120 that extends through panel 16 and terminates in a handle portion 122 to form an operator influenced selector for cam follower 46. Crank arm 94 is aixed to bracket 118 and is adapted to abut against an arm 124 formed integral with cam follower 46. The inward lateral shifting of bracket 118 serves to withdraw knife-like element 90 from the notches and the cam engaging end of cam follower 46 will be lifted clear of any of the cams. On release 0f` handle 122, a spring 126 shown in FIGURE 4 biases bracket 118 into an inoperative position. There is also provided indicia 128 and a pointer 122a to indicate the selected cam.

To facilitate cam selection means are provided to re- Inove the bias of spring 34 by permitting the rotation of latched lever 36 about a universal pivot point designated generally as 140. One end of lever 36 abuts against a groove 142 formed on the underside of mounting plate 144 to latch lever 36 in the position shown in FIGURE 1. A finger 146 is connected to the other end of lever 36 and extends in a direction away from spring 34 into1 proximity with and slightly over shaft 100. Intermediate crank arm 108 and bracket 118 a sleeve 150 is slideably disposed about shaft 100 and has an inclined end 152 adjacent arm 108 to limit endwise sliding of sleeve 150 on shaft 100. There is a slabbed portion 154 on shaft 100 having shoulders formed either end thereof. Sleeve 150 is also slabbed as at 156 to expose the periphery of the shaft 100 and to form a shoulder 158 in the sleeve at the base of the slabbed portion 156. A spring is coiled about sleeve y150 with the end coil thereof disposed against shoulder 158 within the slabbed portion 154 of the shaft. A spring 162 is disposed about shaft 100 intermediate arm 108 and inclined end 152 to bias sleeve 150 away from arm 108.

Spring 34 urges latch lever 36 to turn about its pivot and force the free end upwardly into groove 142. Release of latch lever 36 is obtained by shifting sleeve 150 inwardly so that its inclined end 152 forces the linger 146 to rise thereby pivoting the opposite end of lever 36 downwardly out of groove 142 to result in spring 34 being relaxed. The inward shifting of sleeve 150 is caused by corresponding motion of either shaft 100 abutting the coil of spring 160 disposed in engagement between the slabbed portions 154 and 156 respectively of shaft 100 and sleeve 150, or bracket extension 164 adjustably connected to bracket 118 to directly abut the other end of sleeve 150. Therefore the initial inward movement of either cam selector results in unbiasing spring v 34 to permit easy movement of the cam selectors. A cam sleeve (not shown) is mounted on shaft 56 adjacent latch lever 36 and on rotation of shaft 56 will cause latch lever 36 to rotate toward shaft 100 resulting in the latching of the free end in groove 142 and re-establishing the bias of spring 34.

A more detailed description of the cam actuating and selector mechanisms may be found in U.S. Patent No. 3,191,559, July 29, 1965 of W. H. W. Marsh et al.

Referring to FIGURE 2, centered straight stitch sewing on the zigzag machine depicted requires selectors or handles 112 and 122, respectively, to be moved to place pointers 112a and 122a at the A K setting, and also selector or handle 60 will be shifted to the notched center position at the number 3 setting. Selector 112 or 122 must be pushed inwardly to change the position of the pointers and this will effect the release of latch lever 36 which results in the unbiasing of spring 34. On the inward shifting of selectors 112 and 122 springs 86 and'96, respectively, will urge cam followers 44 and 46 downwardly and away from contact with the cams of cam stack 48.

While it is possible to individually reset selectors 60, 112 and 122 to the centered straight stitch position the present invention permits this resetting to be done by a novel resetting device designated generally as 170, by the operation of a single operator influenced knob 172 located on panel 16 to the right of slot 62.

Needle resetting device 170 illustrated in FIGURES 5-8 includes interconnected shiftable members that function to reset all the various selectors simultaneously. One of the shiftable members denes a slide plate 174 with a horizontal slot 176 extending nearly across its full length. An arm 178 extends downwardly from the right side: of plate 174 below slot 176, and has a projection 180 formed thereon. Above slot 176 and on the left side of plate 174 a smaller vertical slot 182 is formed and terminates in an ear 184.

Intermediate arm 178 and slot 182 is a centrally disposed shoulder 186 having a pin pass inwardly thereof to interconnect the slide plate 174, on the inner side to a crank link 188, and on the outer side to a horizontally disposed slide lever 190. Though slide lever 190 is shown as a separate component it may be formed integrally with slide plate 174.

A pair of horizontally spaced large headed screws 192 loosely pass through slot 176 to connect into the side of frame opposite panel 16 to permit free sliding of plate 174. A delta shaped pivot plate 194 defines the other shiftable member and is pivotally mounted by the left most screw 192 on the inner side of slide plate 174 at its mid-point, The upper end of pivot plate 194 is slideably connected to slot 182 by a pin 196. The free end of pivot plate 194 extends downwardly past lever 58 on the Side opposite thereof from arm 178.

Slide lever 190 has the end thereof remote from the pin connection to slide lever 174 disposed between frame 10 and a frame mounted bracket 198. A pin 200 is connected between bracket 198 and frame 10 to loosely pass through a slot 202 formed in lever 190. A cam or tapered section 204 is formed intermediate lever 190 with the taper increasing inwardly and to the right to define a substantial off-set that terminates at shoulder 206. Cam 204 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 7 is disposed adjacent the free end of shaft 100 and crank arm 94 for purposes more fully explained hereinafter.

The interconnected shiftable members of device 170 are actuated by a cranking assembly having a rod 208 pivotally mounted to frame 10 with one end extending outwardly of panel 16 to which knob 172 is connected and a sleeve 210 connected to the opposite end. A crank arm 212 is mounted at one end to the sleeve 210 and pin connected at the other end to crank link 188. A spring 214 has one end connected to link 188 and the other end, as shown in FIGURE l, anchored to the right-most of frame 10 so as to urge link 188 and the associated components of device to the rightwardly inoperative position depicted in FIGURES 1 and 7. A second spring 215 may be connected between lever 58 and crank arm 212 to aid in obtaining the normally inoperative position. In the inoperative position the needle resetting device 170 will not interfere with the normal operation of the zigzag sewing machine or the setting of operator influenced selectors 60, 112, and 122.

The operated position of the needle resetting device 170 is illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6 and 8. Whenever the operator desires to reset the needle in the centered straight stitch position actuating knob 172 is turned counter-clockwise to swing crank arm 212 and crank link 188 leftwardly causing slide plate 174 and slide lever 190 to shift a corresponding amount. The shifting of slide lever causes cam section 204 to engage both cranking arm 94 and the free end of shaft 100. The degree of taper of cam section 204 is sufficient to push both members 94 and 100 inwardly enough to release knife-like elements 82 and 90 so as to permit springs 86 and 96, respectively, to force cam followers 44 and 46 to the lower most position on posts 76 and 78 whereby they will be out of engagement with the cams of cam stack 48. The downward motion of cam followers 44 and 46 effects the leftward shifting of slectors 112 and 122 to place the associated pointers in the straight stitch position.

Selector 60 will be centered simultaneously with the release and resetting of selectors 112 and 122. If the selector 60 was on the right side of center the leftward sliding motion of arm 178 of slide plate 174 will place it in the center. However if selector 60 were to the left of center then the counter-clockwise rotation of the free end pivot plate 194 will engage lever 58 to center the bight amplitude or lateral vibratory amplitude mechanism 20. Because of the scissor-like motion of arm 178 and pivot plate 194 lever 58 will be returned to center whether it is to the right or left thereof. Pivot plate 194 is actuated by the sliding motion of plate 178 which causes it to pivot about screw 192 by the constrained motion of its upper end sliding downwardly in slot 182 to effect the counterclockwise rotation of its free end.

The dimensions of the needle resetting device 170 are pre-determined so as to exactly center selector 60 between arm 17 8 and the free end of pivot plate 194 causing it to enter notch 68.

Lever 58 acts as a stop to prevent over-swinging of de- `vice 170. On release of kob 172 the spring will return device 170 to the inoperative position.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, material, arrangements of parts and operating conditions which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, whatwe claim herein is:

1. In a zigzag sewing machine having a frame with stitch forming instrumentalities disposed therein to be selectively controlled by an actuating mechanism having a shiftably adjusted operator selector means and a shiftably released operator selector means, a device adapted for shifting the shiftably adjusted operator selector means comprising:

(a) a pair of members interconnected to each other and to the frame,

(b) each of the members having a free end disposed in spaced relation on opposite sides of the shiftably adjusted operator selector means, and

(c) operator influenced means connected to the members for shifting the free ends of the members towards each other to urge the shiftably adjusted operator selector means to shift to a predetermined position therebetween.

2. The device claimed in claim 1 adapted for releasing the shiftably released operator selector means wherein:

(a) a lever connected to one of the members for movement therewith, and

(b) a cam formed on the lever whereby on movement of the members said cam adapted to engage the yshiftably released operator selector means and release the same.

3. A combination claimed in claim 2 wherein:

(a) one of the members slideably connected to the frame,

(b) one of the members pivotably connected to the frame, and

(c) the operator influenced means actuated to slide the slide member and cause oscillation of the pivot member whereby the free ends of each of the members to be moved toward each other.

4. The combination claimed in claim 3 wherein:

` (a) the lever connected to the slide member to slide therewith,

(b) the cam formed on the lever outwardly of the connection to the slide member, and

(c) the cam normally out of engagement with the shiftably released operator selector means and on sliding of the slide member adapted to increasingly shift the shiftably released operator selector means to elect release thereof.

5. In a zigzag sewing machine having a frame with stitch forming instrumentalities disposed therein to be selectively controlled by an actuating mechanism having a first operator selector means shiftable to the right or left from a central position and a second operator selector means shiftable to a released position, a device adapted for shifting each of the said iirst and second operator selector means comprising:

(a) a slide plate slideably connected to the frame,

(b) a first arm extending outwardly of the slide plate and disposed on one side of the rst operator selector means,

(c) a pivot plate pivotally connected to the frame,

(d) the pivot plate having one of its ends disposed on the other side of the rst operator selector means,

(e) means interconnecting the Slide plate and the pivot plate,

(f) a second arm extending from the slide plate in the direction of the second operator selector means,

(g) a raised portion formed on the Second arm adjacent to the second operator selector means and normally out of engagement therewith, and

(h) operator actuator means connected to slide the slide plate whereby the rst arm of the slide plate and the end of the pivot plate urges the rst operator selector means into a central position, and the raised portion of the second arm shifts the second operator selector means into a released position.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 wherein:

(a) the pivot plate pivotally connected intermediate its ends, and

(b) the end of the pivot plate remote from its free end connected to be cranked by the means interconnecting the plates whereby sliding of the slide plate will cause oscillation of the pivotal connection.

7. The combination claimed in claim 6 wherein:

(a) a slot formed on the slide plate to extend in the direction of sliding, and

(b) means pivotally connecting the pivot member and extending through said slot to permit said slide plate to be shifted past the last mentioned means.

8. The combination claimed in claim 6 wherein:

(a) the raised portion of the second arm dening a tapered section of increased incline in the direction away from the second operator selector means whereby on operation of said device the tapered section will increasingly engage the second operator selector means to release of the same.

9. The combination claimed in claim 8 wherein:

(a) the operator inuenced means of said device including a crank means normally spring biased out of engagement with each of the rst and second operator selector means and adapted to operate said device and cause the shifting of each of the selector means to return the stitch forming instrumentalities to a predetermined position.

10. In a zigzag sewing machine having a frame with stitch forming instrumentalities disposed therein to be selectively controlled by an actuating mechanism having shftable setting means, a device adapted to shift the setting means comprising:

(a) an actuator means connected to said frame,

(b) a first member carried by the actuator means and adapted to shift the setting means in one direction to a predetermined position,

(c) a second member, interacting with the first member, carried by the actuator means and adapted to shift the setting means in an opposite direction than said tirst member to a predetermined position, and

(d) the actuator means actuated simultaneously to shift the rst member and the second member into operative position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,191,559 6/1965 Marsh et al. 112-158 RICHARD J. SCANLAN, I R., Primary Examiner 

